If you are looking for more advice on how to be a better man, be sure to visit www.artofmanliness.com. So, today we're going to focus on something we all have the power to control: our core values.
Get nice and relaxed. Go to a quiet room and sit in a big comfy chair (maybe even sit in your closet; something about small spaces helps
If you know this before that choice presents itself, you will know how to proceed. If you're having trouble getting started, I've provided a list of values for you to consider.
Core Values
Draw up a list of three men that you’d like to mentor you. Think of all the men you know that might be able to help you in the area that
If you're looking for a mentor to help you in your career, look around at the men you know at work who have been in the game for a while and know the ropes. If you're looking for a mentor to help you become an overall better man, just think about the men you know and admire.
Figure out what you expect from the mentor relationship. Before you ask someone to be your mentor, you need to know what he should
If you are a student, you may want to choose a professor who really inspires you academically. Explain what you hope to get out of the mentorship and get an idea of what he wants to get out of it as well.
Explain why you think he would be a good mentor by sharing some of the positive qualities about him that you wrote down. Choose an area in your life where you think a mentor could help you and make a list of three potential mentors.
What is Testosterone?
And it's what gives you a "male brain", which is larger than the female brain (although we must strongly emphasize that size has nothing to do with intelligence), but which has reduced connectivity between the hemispheres. So if you haven't been feeling very manly lately, or maybe ever, maybe it's time for you to have a T party.
The Benefits of Testosterone
Perhaps most importantly, T is what enables you to rock a great beard or mustache.
So what’s sapping our T? Here’s a few of the factors at play
Get at least 8 hours of sleep tonight
Do not eat anything with soy in it. You’re going to have to read labels
Meditate for at least 10 minutes. This will help you de-stress
Lift some weights and do compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, dips, rows and pull-ups. However, there is no need to overdo it; A diet with a 2:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio is ideal for testosterone production.
3 Things I Will Do Today to Increase My Testosterone
The auctioneer, who had been auctioning stolen or lost bikes for 43 years, noticed that the boy's hopes seemed to rise every time a racer-type bike was put up. He took eight dollars from his pocket and asked the boy for his dollar.
Showing Gratitude to Others
One dollar,” said an 11-year-old boy as the teasing for the first bike began. When was the last time you felt such deep gratitude as this little boy felt.
What prevents us from showing our gratitude more freely?
Personal Gratitude
Cultivate Your Personal Gratitude
Not just, "I'm thankful for my wife," but "I'm thankful that my wife makes me laugh every day." Not just, "I'm thankful for my children," but,. I am grateful for how happy I am when my children rush to the door when I get home from work.” It doesn't have to be deep stuff.
10 Things I’m Grateful For
Show Your Gratitude to Others
Send a thank you note to that old professor you had in college who really opened your eyes. Think of the people you should have thanked but missed your chance, or the people you didn't thank enough.
The Three People I Thanked Today
We all need to be ready for these opportunities when they arise, by having resumes ready to be printed and put in someone's hand. I recommend that you first read our articles “How to write a CV” and “The importance of a good CV”.
Tips for Updating Your Resume
Eliminate outdated info and “padding.” Now that we’ve made a list of new stuff that we can add, take a hard look at your current resume
It's hard to be unique if you're using the same template that every other candidate is using. Also, it doesn't hurt to ask friends and colleagues in the same field as you if you can see their resumes to get inspiration on how to format yours.
Replace fluff words with concrete language and specific numbers
LifeClever has an amazing tutorial on how to make cosmetic changes to your resume to really make it shine. I always copy it so you can access your resume right away.
Our Crumbling Connections
It's surprising that these days we feel busier than ever with the proliferation of time-saving gadgets. And if we feel that way, it's because we're not prioritizing the right kinds of things in our lives.
3 Possible Friends To Reconnect With
He just kept a small notebook in the pocket of his pearl snap shirts and wrote down a brief description of the things he did and the people he did them with. My grandfather met my grandmother by hitting on her while she was working as a telephone operator.
Great Men Keep Journals
Why Keep a Journal
Or, if you're in a depressed mood and don't know how to snap yourself out of it, you can look back at your journal to find the times when you were happiest. Or you can look back at your diary and how you operated five years ago and think, “Damn.
How to Journal
It's free and gives you the option to keep your journal private or share it with a few people. It's free and you have the option to keep it private or share it with others.
What to Write About
Being a lover and a romancer is something that makes us human, not just a mammal on the Discovery Channel. Unfortunately, few men today take up the challenge of being lovers because our dating skills have become infected with the plague of hanging out.
Dating and the Single Man
Dating and the Committed Man
Paired off 2. Planned ahead
The "paid" and "joint" business isn't as important to co-workers who are already in a long-term relationship as it is to singles, but for both groups of men, planning ahead is crucial.
Date Planner
The West's most famous wordsmith, William Shakespeare, gained his education by memorizing the epic poetry of the classical world. Additionally, by memorizing the myths and stories of the ancient world, Shakespeare had a wellspring of creative resources to draw upon as he wrote his plays.
Why Memorize Things
If you do it too much or at the wrong times, you'll just make yourself look like a pompous ass. Perhaps you have been put in a leadership position and need to be psyched up to lead your group to success.
Tips on Memorizing
I have always been impressed by that very rare man who can weave a snippet of a great speech or poem into a conversation. The most important benefit of memorizing passages from great works is that you will accumulate a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge that you can instantly access when you need extra motivation to man up.
The Brute Force Memorization Process
But leave their doubt too, if you can wait and not get tired of waiting. If you can bear to hear the truth you've told Twisted by the knife to make a snare for fools, Or see the things you gave life to, broken.
Need Regular Testicular Self-Exams?
It is also the number one cause of cancer death among men in the same age group. It's quick, painless and gives you peace of mind knowing everything is fine under the hood.
Why Have a Bucket List?
To be honest, I had never given much thought to what would be on my bucket list. I realized: 1) I'm pretty pathetic if I could only think of two things I wanted to do before I die, and 2) making a bucket list actually takes a lot more thought than I thought.
Creating the Bucket List
If you feel like you've been in a rut or that you've become too boring, creating a bucket list is the first step to adding a little more excitement back into your life. After you come up with the categories, think of something for each that you would like to achieve.
Pick One Item on Your Bucket List and Do Something to Set It in Motion
Then pick one task from the list and do it in the next 24 hours
Because he didn't have any crap to distract him, he was able to focus his energy on writing some incredibly deep thoughts. The simple life is a manly life because a man defines himself not by his possessions but by his character, virtues, relationships and experiences.
Why Declutter
It reduces stress. I definitely think there’s something to the idea that clutter can block the flow of good karma and energy in your life
While decluttering, you may also come across a few things that you can sell on eBay or Amazon and make some money.
How to Declutter
Go book by book and ask yourself if you will ever read it or read it again. Paper and mail. If you don't have one right now, go out and buy a file box.
Chuck It or Donate It
As you put items in your bag, make a note of what the item is on a piece of paper and give it an approximate value. Then go through the piles of mail and paper piece by piece, throwing out what you don't need and filing away what you do.
Preventing Clutter from Re-entering Your Life
You can use this to get a receipt from Goodwill and deduct the amount you donated on your income taxes. Whenever you get mail, open it right away, throwing away what you don't need and filing away what you do.
If You Have a Good Relationship with Your Father
So today we are going to write a letter to our first models of masculinity: our fathers. Whether you had a good relationship with your father or not, today you are going to write him a letter.
If You Don’t Have a Good Relationship with Your Father
Cooking keeps you healthy. It’s shocking to flip through a health magazine and see the nutritional information for restaurant meals
When a Quizno's Classic Italian Sub has 1370 calories, PF Chang's Pork Lo Mein 1820 calories, and Macaroni Grill's Spaghetti and Meatballs has 2430 calories, eating out doesn't just hurt your wallet, it also does a number on your waistline.
Cooking is creative. Finding years ago that they had no aptitude for painting or music, many men live lives devoid of creative outlets
If you've never cooked before, don't worry; if you can follow a recipe, you can cook. If you're a subscriber to the blog and need recipe ideas, check out the substantial "Cooking" category.
Meal Plan
And as men, especially men taking this 30-day challenge, we're all about continuous improvement.
The Benefits of Having a Budget
With the economy in the tank, it's more important than ever to tighten our belts and get our finances under control.
How to Create a Budget
Subtract your total fixed expenses from your total monthly income
Set a spending goal for variable expenses. Now that you know how much money you have to work with, you can start budgeting for your
You'll be able to review how much you spent last month and adjust your budget accordingly. You will be able to see where you did well and where you can improve.
Tools For Budgeting
Once you've created a budget for the month, track every penny you spend to ensure you stay within your budget. When the money runs out, you're done spending in that category for the month.
Why Talk to Strangers
If you're in the habit of talking to strangers on a daily basis, you'd be surprised where you can meet someone who can help you advance your career. If you're looking for a way to boost your male confidence, start talking to strangers every day.
How to Talk to Strangers
The conversation might only last a minute, but there's always a chance you'll have a chat with a new mentor or boyfriend. When you are comfortable with yourself, people recognize it and will instantly feel comfortable with you.
Strangers I Talked to Today
Understanding the importance of finding and never compromising your N.U.Ts – your non-negotiable, unchangeable terms – is the most important thing you as a man will do. Editor's note: For more on figuring out your N.U.Ts, check out Wayne's book, aptly titled Hold On to Your N.U.Ts.
4 Reasons to Get Regular Physicals
Second, having a regular doctor means you'll have someone who knows your medical history well enough that they don't have to reinvent the wheel every time they see you. Finally, when you have a doctor you feel comfortable with, you will be less hesitant to see them when it comes to your health.
How Often Should You Get a Physical
What to Expect When You Get a Physical
Skin exam. The doctor will come in and start checking out your skin
He will also take a look at your gums and teeth to see what shape they are in. Finally, he will look at the back of your throat to see if there is any swelling.
Listening to your ticker. The doctor will use his stethoscope to listen to your heart and look for any abnormal sounds that might indicate
When we think of moments that epitomize masculinity, we often think of a captain sinking a ship, men letting women and children go first, a soldier throwing himself on a grenade to protect his brothers from being hit, an old man, who tries to save a drowning child and himself perishes in the waves. But while in the moment the hard limitation of time and resources seems to protect our happiness, in the long run this selfishness eats away at our souls.
Our Obligation to Serve
The Benefits of Service
But when we serve those less fortunate than us, we come to see how good we have it. It's easy to paint people we've never had contact with in broad strokes, thinking we've got them all figured out.
How to Find Service Opportunities
- Volunteer with a Preexisting Organization
- Call an Organization
- Join a Fraternal Organization
- Start Your Own Project
Our society does a great job of hiding death from our view, and many of us live in a state of denial about the fact that we will one day push the daisies. Even if we live into our 90s, that day will come sooner than we can imagine.
How to Write Your Own Eulogy
Write an outline
Have you stayed with one company or job your entire life or have you changed careers often?
Turn your outline into a eulogy
He was an idealist who believed that one man could help change the government by exposing the dark things to the light. Now that he is gone, I can no longer feel that firsthand, and yet his legacy continues to push me to seize the day.”
The Benefits of Good Posture
Increases concentration and mental performance. A study done by Colorado College showed that male students with the best sitting pos-
You can help prevent the bump by focusing on maintaining good posture throughout your life (and by taking a calcium supplement as you get older). Additionally, maintaining good posture while you are young can help reduce the height shrinkage that occurs in many older adults.
Prevents “beer belly.” Have you ever seen those old men who have super skinny legs and arms, but then a small (or sometimes huge) beer
What Is Good Posture?
Posture While Standing
Posture While Sitting at a Desk
Tie the other end of the string to the belt buckle so that the string is taut when you sit up. The stereotype of men 50 years ago was the image of a guy tinkering endlessly in a garage.
The Importance of Play
Stuart Brown, head of the National Institute for Play (yes, it's a real institute), while we think the opposite of play is work, it's actually depression. Take play out of the mix, and like a cyanotic deprived of oxygen, the relationship becomes an endurance race for survival.
What is Play?
Body Play and Movement. This is the kind of play we probably most often think of when we think of play, not only as children but as
It should be something you're doing just for fun. Even if you're not hurting too much from the debt you've taken on, paying off your debt is definitely the manly thing to do.
Come Up with Your Monthly Debt Nut
But the first thing you need to do is figure out how much you can afford to pay off your debt each month. Note: Many financial experts recommend building an emergency fund before starting to pay off debt.
Option #1: Pay Off the Debt with the Highest Interest Rate First
Take the debt load you just calculated and direct as much as you can to pay off the debt with the highest interest rate. Once the debt with the highest interest rate is paid off, start putting the money you paid towards the debt with the next highest interest rate.
Option #2: Dave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball Plan
List your debts in order from lowest balance to highest balance
When that debt is paid off, you start going after the next higher interest rate, and so on until it's all paid off. The downside to the snowballing method is that you'll end up paying more interest than you would if you went after the debt with the highest interest rate first.
Debt Repayment Plan
By being successful in paying off small debts first, you will receive immediate positive feedback that can encourage you to continue paying down your debt. And all of a sudden, you're hit with the realization that you're not the tomboyish boy you once were.
How to Perform the Marine Corps Fitness Test
One way to do this is to reset your car's odometer and drive a flat course in your neighborhood to mark off the 3 miles.
Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Scoring
Minimum Fitness Requirements
No matter what kind of shape you're in, this will help you know how fit you are, give you a benchmark to base future progress and regression on, and either give you some motivation to improve or ' a feeling of satisfaction that you are ready for action.
My Marine Corps Fitness Test Results
It's never enough to get the kind of immersive experience and broad view that an entire book gives you. Today we're going to turn the page (so to speak) on the shortage of men who don't read books.
The Benefits of Reading
Choose a book that you've always wanted to read and kept putting off. Once you've chosen your book, we'll tap into our inner third graders and D.E.A.R.
Have Decided to Read
By reading you can experience what it is like to grow up fatherless, sail with barbaric pirates, fly a plane in World War II and climb the mountain. It's especially difficult when you're sitting down with someone and trying to remember exactly what you did. wanted to say.
Why Write a Love Letter
How to Write a Love Letter
Start off by stating the purpose of your letter. You want your love to know right away that this is a love letter and not a note to give her the
Start with something like, “Today I was thinking about how much I love you and how I really don't tell you enough. What is special about being a couple is that you have a shared history, a history that is unique to you, and you both have a shared history, a history that is unique to you and your love.
Now transition to a section about the things you love about her
Thus, the best way to start a love letter is to refer to a shared memory; this evokes feelings of your history together and scores you points for recalling the details of your past.
Tell her all the things you love about her. Before you write this section, make a list on a separate sheet of paper of all the things that you love
Sarah, my love for you is immortal, It seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence can break; and yet mine. The memories of the blissful moments I spent with you flood over me, and I feel deeply grateful to God and to you that I enjoyed them for so long.
The Manliness of Overcoming Your Fears
For example, fear rightly arises when we see a slithering snake or look over the edge of a cliff. But if we want to do something and we believe it is the right thing to do, but we fail to do it because of fear, then we are violating our core values.
How to Overcome Our Fears
Remember, when you skip an opportunity because you're afraid, you'll never get that moment back. Maybe there are some 30 day tasks that you haven't done yet because you've been scared.
The Fear I Plan to Conquer
Plan to Do It
We've finally reached the last day of the 30 Days to a Better Man Challenge. Hopefully the tasks we've come up with have helped you grow, grow and become a better man.
Why Get a Straight Razor Shave
Today's final task will complete this process and reward your efforts over the past month.
What to Expect from a Straight Razor Shave
Use the moment you have created to continue your journey to become a better man.
